KNOWN KNOWNS: For all the talent and experience Oregon has elsewhere, there's no better position group on the team than special teams in that regard. Senior punter Jackson Rice is back for his fourth year as the starter, after being a Ray Guy Award finalist last season. Rob Beard wants to put a junior year marred by a quad injury behind him, but will need to hold off junior Alejandro Maldonado for the placekicking job in order to do so. Maldonado was pressed into duty last year despite an injury of his own, and was said to be booming the ball in spring practices. The guys snapping to the kickers, Drew Howell and Jeff Palmer, are also vastly experienced and have made minimal mistakes during their careers. And the Ducks have a ton of options to return kicks, in Kenjon Barner, De'Anthony Thomas, Josh Huff, Keanon Lowe, B.J. Kelley, Brian Jackson, Terrance Mitchell and Dior Mathis, among others.

KNOWN UNKNOWNS: The lone newcomer here is JC transfer Dylan Ausherman, who will redshirt this fall and replace Rice in 2013, if all goes according to plan. On the kick coverage and return teams, the Ducks lost a few valuable performers from 2012 in Josh Kaddu, David Paulson, Brandon Hanna and Anthony Gildon, perhaps giving a chance for some young, athletic guys not slotted for major action on offense or defense to contribute, such as Rahim Cassell, Tyson Coleman, Issac Dixon, Devon Blackmon or James Scales.